Bettering Your Communication Skills Starts with Self-Compassion

"Self-compassion is a necessary part of our journey; it’s about recognizing that you are doing the best you can — with who you are, with what you’ve got, and with the resources that you’ve been given." Susan David How come acts of kindness feel acceptable? But we often have difficulty with self-compassion? Susan David talks about the difference in feeling as if you always have to be "strong" for others as compared to being kind to yourself. And starting there. Frequently in my professional life, I have focused on prestige over health. A good project meant it was competitive and I was working with "the best." I was not focused enough on how I felt with these people or spaces. David talks about how to "check in" with yourself and how to be mindful rather than reactionary when thoughts or feelings come up. Since I became my own boss with WLC, I have chosen the clients, the non-profits, and the companies with which to collaborate. Now I focus on the "quality" of my interactions based on ethics, morale, and culture. I ask, how do they detract from or help support self-care / inclusivity? Real success is not just prosperous–it is also kind, socially active, and addresses the real issues of diverse or marginalized people.